<h4>Chapter 21. An entric Charles</h4>


    James and Frey wore aplex impression as they exchanged nces. They were both taken aback by their captain''s peculiar tone; this was the first time they were facing it, after all.


    The dimly lit corridor fell into an eerie silence. Under the looming threat of an invisible locust, the air seemed to have congealed.


    Suddenly, Charles''s shoulders began to tremble as he let out a chuckle. Hisughs grew louder until he exploded into an uncontroble maniacughing fit.


    Lily timidly poked her head out from the pile of mice and asked, "Mr. Charles, what''s wrong with you?"


    Charles struggled to stifle hisughter and turned around. "Heh, Miss Mousy, I just thought of a joke. Here it goes... Once upon a time—"


    At that very moment, the flying locust materialized on the left wall beside him. Its menacing mouth opened wide apart as it closed in on the back of Charles'' head.


    Everyone''s eyes widened in astonishment, but it was toote for them to verbalize any warning.


    Out of everyone''s expectation, Charles'' body seemed to be devoid of bones as he folded himself backward and evaded the creature''s bite.


    With a powerful thrust from his right hand gripping the de, the sharp edge of the knife pierced the abdomen of the flying monstrosity. "Haha! I gotcha! To think you can even phase through walls!"


    Charles'' feet sprung like a coiled spring, and hended on the creature''s back. With the ck de in his hand, he relentlessly stabbed it into the monster''s translucent body.


    The flying horror thrashed violently, but Charles clung to it like a human gyroscope, refusing to be thrown off.


    "Wanna get rid of me? No damn way!"


    The wounded locust swiftly retracted its head and then turned toward the human who had fatally wounded it. It then spewed a viscous, pus-yellow liquid toward Charles.


    "I''m done ying. <i>Adios</i>, fat worm!"


    Charles reversed his grip on the handle embedded in the creature''s body and swiftly rotated it like a ship''s rudder. Apanied by the sound of tearing leather, the handle sliced through the creature''s back, trailing along his skin all the way to its abdomen.


    The gaping wound spanning across the grotesque creature''s body nearly severed it in half. The locust released a thunderous roar as its tattered form began to turn translucent in an attempt to escape.


    However, Charles exerted more force and plunged the de deep into the locust''s body. The airborne, bloated monstrosity was sent crashing down to the ground.


    In the split second that the locust made contact with the ground, Charles used his feet to push off against the creature with all his might and propelled himself into the air. He somersaulted several times beforending gracefully and struck a triumphant pose like a returned hero from a winning war.


    "Aren''t I handsome? Aren''t I awesome? Now, where''s the apuse?"


    After posing for a few seconds and realizing that no one was responding to him, Charles turned around. He came face-to-face with his crew; they were staring at him, wide-eyed, and they seemed as though they had seen a ghost.


    "Aiii, you lot have absolutely zero chemistry with me. What are you all standing there for? Get moving!"


    The party finally snapped out of their daze and started running. Charles followed after them to provide cover from the rear.


    As they approached the exit, the crew members nced back at their captain from time to time.


    Dipp turned around and threw a nce at his captain, who was humming and shaking his leg. Looking down, he turned in Second Mate Conor''s direction and whispered, "Should we take off the mask from Captain''s face? He seems a little weird."


    With a swift slide forward, Charles positioned himself right between Dipp and Conor. Pressing against Dipp''s face with the white clown mask on his face, Charles fired away, "Hey kiddo! What did you just say? I can hear you, you know? Who''s gonna protect you if I take off the mask?"


    Dipp gritted his teeth in determination and reached out his hand to try to reach for the mask, but Charles effortlessly evaded him like a slippery eel.


    In the next instant, Charles pushed the sk into Dipp''s grasp, firmly grabbed thetter''s shoulders, and gave him a gentle push forward. "Go on your way first. Wait for me on the ship."


    Without waiting for anyone''s response, Charles abruptly backflipped and disappeared into the darkness.


    "Captain! Captain! Come back!"


    "Mr. Charles, where are you going?"


    Amidst the cries, Charles had ventured farther away with the clown mask on his face.


    In the darkness, Charles began muttering to himself, "Since this ce is used to research relics, there must be many of them here. Heh heh. I''m gonna be rich!"


    Humming a vaguely familiar tune, Charles retraced his footsteps. This time, he methodically checked each door. If it wouldn''t budge, he used explosives to st it open.


    Behind the first door, he discovered an antique oilmp reminiscent of a medieval era. Just as Charles was about to exit the room with the oilmp in his grasp, his sharp vision caught sight of a record book hanging on the wall.


    "<i>Tsk tsk.</i> How thoughtful. They even prepared an instruction manual for me."


    Charles took the record book, and swiftly headed for the next room.


    "Hahaha! Money! Shower me with monehhh!"


    Cradling a bunch of relics wrapped in a makeshift cloth sack in his arms, Charles gleefully darted between rooms. He was like a farmer reaping a bountiful harvest.


    Just when he slid a silver tentacle ring onto his ring finger, a sudden red glow illuminated the doorway.


    "Oh, you pesky flu bug, you still dare to show up. If I don''t show you my true colors today, you''ll have no idea who you are messing with, huh!" With one hand clutching the cloth sack, Charles confidently strode towards the door.


    However, as soon as he leaned out of the room, his body froze. It was not just one pesky flu bug but a <i>swarm</i> of pesky flu bugs.


    They were crowded together, some with their bodies half-phased into the ceiling, while some protruded from the floor. In the distance, a group of red glows shed intermittently, resembling a wall of neon lights.


    The moment Charlesid sight on them, the monsters also noticed him. The flying locusts twisted their bloated bodies, and the red glow swiftly vanished.


    Darkness enveloped the deste corridor once again. Staring into the emptiness, Charles could already visualize the invisible swarm of locusts descending upon him.


    Without a split second of hesitation, he turned and bolted. But before he could even take a couple of steps, an enormous mouth materialized before him.


    Unable to ovee his inertia, half of Charles'' body had entered the monster''s mouth.


    Charles summoned every ounce of strength he could muster and forcefully twisted his body; he managed to escape before the monster''s jaws mped down on him. Although it was a narrow escape, his clothes, now tattered and in shreds, were the product of the creature''s sharp teeth.


    "That was close. <i>Too</i> close." Still shaken, Charles didn''t dare to stop. Seizing thegging response time of the locust, Charles pressed himself against its slick body and slipped away.


    But this was just one locust. The invisible locusts were even faster than Charles at full speed. More and more flying locusts materialized from the darkness andunched relentless attacks at him.


    The situation had turned Charles into an acrobat as he tried to defy death. With every evasion, he narrowly avoided their attacks by the slimmest of margins. Making use of his extraordinary agility, he put on a performance like a dancer dancing precariously on the edge of life.


    Just as he narrowly avoided a spray of venom from one locust, a gaping mouth appeared to his right. Charles pushed off with his feet and barely evaded it.


    Before he couldnd, another giant mouth materialized. This time, Charles was airborne and had no leverage. He helplessly watched as his momentum had him heading straight into the monster''s mouth.